When we wrote that story last week there was more opposition than support from readers purporting to be Sydney FC fans.

So why the opposition to the man who was this year awarded the Alex Tobin medal for 30 years of service to the game in this country?

“Some recite Farina’s two DUI charges; the departure of Ned Zelic from the national team in 1999; an incident with Andrew Orsatti, then of SBS, for which both subsequently apologised; the famous contretemps with Robbie Slater at a Socceroos training session over pay and conditions; and other instances which suggest that the moniker ‘cranky Frankie’ is not without cause,” wrote his biographer Bonita Mersiades on the awarding of the medal.

“It’s not – and, in fact, it was a name given to him by one of his mentors, Eddie Thomson, at Sydney City in 1985.

"Farina’s detractors say he is grumpy, insensitive and selfish and was “lucky” to be national coach for six years; his supporters say he is focused, warm and humble and has been cut off from the game unfairly.”

Farina coached the Socceroos ahead of the 2006 World Cup but was sacked in 2005 with Guus Hiddink riding to the rescue and a special place in national folklore.

Farina had taken that job as a 34-year-old at a time when high paid foreign coaches were not considered an option.

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Farina’s most recent coaching assignment in Australia ended when the Roar sacked him over a drink driving offence in October 2009. He is now coaching Papua New Guinea and working ion development for Oceania.

“Coaching is a punishment, you have to be a special type to be involved at this level,” Farina says.

"The pressure that comes with that – pressure from results, media, fans and, yes, you have to be a certain character to do it.

“I enjoy it. Some people have varying opinions on me that I’m cranky and that I’m a bully but that’s my way and I’m not going to change that.

Before taking up as a coach, Farina was a ground breaker; he was the first Australian to play in the Serie A and attracted a then record transfer fee for an Australian player of $3.2 million.

Born in Darwin in 1964, Farina spent his childhood in New Guinea before moving to Cairns as a 10 year old. After earning a scholarship to the AIS in 1982, he played with the Canberra Arrows, Sydney City and Marconi in the former national soccer league (NSL) for six years before a seven year career in Belgium, Italy and France.

He also played for Australia in the 1983 World Youth Cup, the 1986, 1990 and 1994 World Cup campaigns, the 1988 Bicentennial Gold Cup and Seoul Olympics. He played 86 times in an Australian shirt, including 37 ‘A’ internationals for 10 goals.

“He was also the first of Australia’s successful ‘exports’ to come home,” said players’ union chief Brendan Schwab in June.

“And if being one of our earliest and highest profile overseas Socceroos wasn’t enough, it was Frank’s return to the NSL in 1995, when he was still at the top of his game, that was a major boost to the development of the game.

“His return showed us what football was capable of in Australia because here was an exciting marquee player, in a geographically based team, who brought greater professionalism to his club, improved the quality of play and attracted big crowds for the big games.”

In Farina’s first year as a player-coach, the Brisbane Strikers won the NSL championship in 1997 before a capacity crowd at home.

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He continued as coach at Brisbane Strikers and Marconi before being appointed national coach of the Socceroos in 1999.

“He was appointed to coaching positions at a very young age, without the benefit of the professional coach education now available,” Schwab said.

Years in the spotlight have made him strong and confident he can handle the particular difficltuiioes of leading Sydney FC.

“At the end of the day players are paid to play and coaches are paid to coach and that’s the bottom line. It doesn’t matter what club they’re playing for but that’s their role, to get out there every week and win games of football.

“You have some higher profile players than others in all teams but it’s a squad that will make you successful or not, not a single player.

"Any any manager coming in has to be strong – whether it’s Sydney, Melbourne or wherever.”

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